Heinrich von Kleist
Heinrich von Kleist (1777–1811) was a German writer of plays, short stories, essays and journalism. He was born in Frankfurt an der Oder in October 1777; the Kleist Museum records uncertainty between 10 and 18 October.[1]
Life
Kleist joined the Prussian army in 1792 and left it in 1799 to study at university in his hometown. He subsequently travelled in France and Switzerland and worked for a time in the civil service. In 1807, French authorities arrested him as a suspected spy in occupied Berlin and detained him for several months.[1]
His publishing ventures included the art magazine Phöbus and the newspaper Berliner Abendblätter. On 21 November 1811, near Berlin, he killed Henriette Vogel and then himself.[1]
Writing
His work for the theatre includes The Broken Jug, Penthesilea and Prince Friedrich von Homburg. His stories include Michael Kohlhaas and The Earthquake in Chile.[1] Amphitryon, published in 1807, adapts Molière’s play and the myth behind it, using mistaken identities to explore questions of selfhood and recognition.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Kleist Museum, “About Heinrich von Kleist”. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- ↑ Reclam, Amphitryon: Ein Lustspiel nach Molière, publisher’s description of the edition with notes and afterword by Helmut Bachmaier, ISBN 9783150074169. Accessed 10 October 2026.